Ancient Rome - The End of the Republic

Ancient Rome

The End of the Republic

By Mrs. Bryan

Problems in the Republic

By 100 b.c., many plebeian farmers could not work on their farms because they were in the army. Others had watched the Carthaginian army destroy their small farms.​

​Even though Rome’s armies were doing well in other parts of the world, Rome had problems at home.

At the same time, rich Romans were buying land. They formed large farming estates called latifundia. Enslaved people from Carthage worked the land. As a result, the rich charged less for their crops than the plebeian farmers did. This caused plebeian farmers to go out of business.

Multiple Choice

What is a latifundia?

• A large farming estate

• A hilltop where a battle took place

• Property owned by slaves

• A small farm

Multiple Choice

What caused the plebeian farmers to go out of business?

• Crops stopped growing due to disease

• The rich used up all of the seeds

• The rich charged less for their crops

• There was a drought

Many farmers went to Rome's cities for work. Jobs were hard to find and did not pay much. Roman politicians feared that the plebeians might riot. To prevent a revolt, they offered poor people cheap food and free shows, called “bread and circuses.”

Open Ended

Why did Roman politicians think bread and circuses would stop a revolt?

Two brothers—Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus—wanted to stop the rich from taking small farms. They asked the Senate to return some of the land to the poor. Many Senators were against the idea.

​Learn more about the Gracchus brothers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M1rihNUwAE8H5JkqwaPxmwt1lnLXChlK/view?usp=sharing

Multiple Choice

Why do you think the Gracchus brothers were killed?

• They stole small farms from poor people.

• They fought for the rights of the poor.

In 107 b.c., a military leader named Marius became consul. Until then, only men who owned property served in the military. They did not get paid. So Marius paid the men who had no land to serve as soldiers. He also promised to give them land. This weakened the government. The soldiers felt more loyalty to the general who paid them than to the republic. This gave generals a lot of power.

In 82 b.c. General Sulla forced Marius and other generals out of Rome. He made himself dictator. Sulla had shown other generals how to use their armies to grab political power. For the next 50 years, civil war tore Rome apart.

​ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cqIEzy7LFv4Qrq_eyOhQbXnwgmgyoRL_/view?usp=sharing

Learn

more about

Marius

& Sulla:

​The Rise of Julius Caesar

​By 60 b.c., three men emerged as the most powerful in Rome. They were three generals: Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar. They formed the First Triumvirate.

​A triumvirate is a political partnership of three people.

Multiple Choice

What is a triumvirate?

• A political partnership of three people

• A political partnership of two people

• A political partnership of four people

After Crassus died in battle, the Senators thought that Caesar was becoming too popular. The Senators ordered Caesar to give up his army. Instead, Caesar and his soldiers captured all of Italy.

​In 44 b.c. Caesar made himself dictator for life. He also filled the Senate with people who supported him.

​

Caesar knew many reforms were needed. He started new colonies so that farmers and soldiers would have land. He forced patricians to hire free workers instead of using slave labor.

Multiple Choice

Why did Caesar start new colonies?

• Caesar wanted to spread his control into surrounding regions.

• To make more money for the politicians.

• To increase the food supply.

• So that farmers and soldiers would have land.

​Let's Review

​Caesar’s supporters thought he was a strong leader who brought peace to Rome. His enemies thought that he wanted to be king. On March 15, 44 b.c., Caesar's enemies, led by Cassius and Brutus, stabbed him to death.

Multiple Choice

Who was Octavian?

• Caesar's grandnephew

• Caesar's grandchild

• Caesar's

  nephew

• Caesar's

  Uncle

​In 31 b.c. the navies of Antony and Cleopatra fought those of Octavian at the Battle of Actium. Octavian’s forces crushed the couple's army and navy. Antony and Cleopatra later killed themselves.

​Battle of Actium

​Octavian became Rome's only ruler.

Multiple Choice

Lepidus, a member of the Second Triumvirate, was the "last man standing" and became Rome's only ruler.

• True

• False

​Let's Review

​Cicero, a writer, political leader, and speaker, strongly supported the republican government.

​

Octavian, however, believed that a republic was too weak to solve Rome’s problems.

​

​

​Marcus Cicero, the greatest orator of the late Roman Republic. He was a brilliant lawyer and the first in his family to achieve Roman office.

Multiple Choice

Marcus Cicero strongly supported Octavian's belief that a republic was too weak to solve Rome's problems.

• True

• False

​Octavian wanted power for himself. The Senate finally agreed to his wishes and declared Octavian commander-in-chief. Octavian took the title of Augustus. Augustus means “the majestic one.” In 27 b.c. Caesar Augustus became Rome's first emperor.

​

Multiple Choice

Under Augustus Caesar, Rome moves from a republic to an empire. What does this mean for Rome?

• A small group of wealthy people are now in charge.

• Power no longer resides with citizens, but a single ruler.

• Power is held by a group of elected representatives.